In the morning David Sheldon decided1 that he was worse. That he was appreciably2 weaker there was no doubt, and there were other symptoms that were unfavourable. He began his rounds looking for trouble. He wanted trouble. In full health, the strained situation would have been serious enough; but as it was, himself growing helpless, something had to be done. The blacks were getting more sullen3 and defiant4, and the appearance of the men the previous night on his veranda5--one of the gravest of offences on Berande--was ominous6. Sooner or later they would get him, if he did not get them first, if he did not once again sear on their dark souls the flaming mastery of the white man.
He returned to the house disappointed. No opportunity had presented itself of making an example of insolence7 or insubordination--such as had occurred on every other day since the sickness smote8 Berande. The fact that none had offended was in itself suspicious. They were growing crafty9. He regretted that he had not waited the night before until the prowlers had entered. Then he might have shot one or two and given the rest a new lesson, writ10 in red, for them to con11. It was one man against two hundred, and he was horribly afraid of his sickness overpowering him and leaving him at their mercy. He saw visions of the blacks taking charge of the plantation12, looting the store, burning the buildings, and escaping to Malaita. Also, one gruesome vision he caught of his own head, sun-dried and smoke-cured, ornamenting14 the canoe house of a cannibal village. Either the Jessie would have to arrive, or he would have to do something.
The bell had hardly rung, sending the labourers into the fields, when Sheldon had a visitor. He had had the couch taken out on the veranda, and he was lying on it when the canoes paddled in and hauled out on the beach. Forty men, armed with spears, bows and arrows, and war-clubs, gathered outside the gate of the compound, but only one entered. They knew the law of Berande, as every native knew the law of every white man's compound in all the thousand miles of the far-flung Solomons. The one man who came up the path, Sheldon recognized as Seelee, the chief of Balesuna village. The savage15 did not mount the steps, but stood beneath and talked to the white lord above.
Seelee was more intelligent than the average of his kind, but his intelligence only emphasized the lowness of that kind. His eyes, close together and small, advertised cruelty and craftiness16. A gee-string and a cartridge-belt were all the clothes he wore. The carved pearl-shell ornament13 that hung from nose to chin and impeded17 speech was purely18 ornamental19, as were the holes in his ears mere20 utilities for carrying pipe and tobacco. His broken-fanged teeth were stained black by betel-nut, the juice of which he spat21 upon the ground.
As he talked or listened, he made grimaces22 like a monkey. He said yes by dropping his eyelids23 and thrusting his chin forward. He spoke24 with childish arrogance25 strangely at variance26 with the subservient27 position he occupied beneath the veranda. He, with his many followers28, was lord and master of Balesuna village. But the white man, without followers, was lord and master of Berande--ay, and on occasion, single-handed, had made himself lord and master of Balesuna village as well. Seelee did not like to remember that episode. It had occurred in the course of learning the nature of white men and of learning to abominate29 them. He had once been guilty of sheltering three runaways31 from Berande. They had given him all they possessed32 in return for the shelter and for promised aid in getting away to Malaita. This had given him a glimpse of a profitable future, in which his village would serve as the one depot33 on the underground railway between Berande and Malaita.
Unfortunately, he was ignorant of the ways of white men. This particular white man educated him by arriving at his grass house in the gray of dawn. In the first moment he had felt amused. He was so perfectly34 safe in the midst of his village. But the next moment, and before he could cry out, a pair of handcuffs on the white man's knuckles35 had landed on his mouth, knocking the cry of alarm back down his throat. Also, the white man's other fist had caught him under the ear and left him without further interest in what was happening. When he came to, he found himself in the white man's whale-boat on the way to Berande. At Berande he had been treated as one of no consequence, with handcuffs on hands and feet, to say nothing of chains. When his tribe had returned the three punaways, he was given his freedom. And finally, the terrible white man had fined him and Balesuna village ten thousand cocoanuts. After that he had sheltered no more runaway30 Malaita men. Instead, he had gone into the business of catching36 them. It was safer. Besides, he was paid one case of tobacco per head. But if he ever got a chance at that white man, if he ever caught him sick or stood at his back when he stumbled and fell on a bushtrail--well, there would be a head that would fetch a price in Malaita.
Sheldon was pleased with what Seelee told him. The seventh man of the last batch37 of runaways had been caught and was even then at the gate. He was brought in, heavy-featured and defiant, his arms bound with cocoanut sennit, the dry blood still on his body from the struggle with his captors.
"Me savvee you good fella, Seelee," Sheldon said, as the chief gulped38 down a quarter-tumbler of raw trade-gin. "Fella boy belong me you catch short time little bit. This fella boy strong fella too much. I give you fella one case tobacco--my word, one case tobacco. Then, you good fella along me, I give you three fathom39 calico, one fella knife big fella too much."
The tobacco and trade goods were brought from the store-room by two house-boys and turned over to the chief of Balesuna village, who accepted the additional reward with a non-committal grunt40 and went away down the path to his canoes. Under Sheldon's directions the house-boys handcuffed the prisoner, by hands and feet, around one of the pile supports of the house. At eleven o'clock, when the labourers came in from the field, Sheldon had them assembled in the compound before the veranda. Every able man was there, including those who were helping41 about the hospital. Even the women and the several pickaninnies of the plantation were lined up with the rest, two deep--a horde42 of naked savages43 a trifle under two hundred strong. In addition to their ornaments44 of bead45 and shell and bone, their pierced ears and nostrils46 were burdened with safety-pins, wire nails, metal hair-pins, rusty47 iron handles of cooking utensils48, and the patent keys for opening corned beef tins. Some wore penknives clasped on their kinky locks for safety. On the chest of one a china door-knob was suspended, on the chest of another the brass49 wheel of an alarm clock.
Facing them, clinging to the railing of the veranda for support, stood the sick white man. Any one of them could have knocked him over with the blow of a little finger. Despite his firearms, the gang could have rushed him and delivered that blow, when his head and the plantation would have been theirs. Hatred50 and murder and lust51 for revenge they possessed to overflowing52. But one thing they lacked, the thing that he possessed, the flame of mastery that would not quench53, that burned fiercely as ever in the diseasewasted body, and that was ever ready to flare54 forth55 and scorch56 and singe57 them with its ire.
"Narada! Billy!" Sheldon called sharply.
Two men slunk unwillingly58 forward and waited.
Sheldon gave the keys of the handcuffs to a house-boy, who went under the house and loosed the prisoner.
"You fella Narada, you fella Billy, take um this fella boy along tree and make fast, hands high up," was Sheldon's command.
While this was being done, slowly, amidst mutterings and restlessness on the part of the onlookers59, one of the house-boys fetched a heavy-handled, heavy-lashed whip. Sheldon began a speech.
"This fella Arunga, me cross along him too much. I no steal this fella Arunga. I no gammon. I say, 'All right, you come along me Berande, work three fella year.' He say, 'All right, me come along you work three fella year.' He come. He catch plenty good fella kai-kai, {2} plenty good fella money. What name he run away? Me too much cross along him. I knock what name outa him fella. I pay Seelee, big fella master along Balesuna, one case tobacco catch that fella Arunga. All right. Arunga pay that fella case tobacco. Six pounds that fella Arunga pay. Alle same one year more that fella Arunga work Berande. All right. Now he catch ten fella whip three times. You fella Billy catch whip, give that fella Arunga ten fella three times. All fella boys look see, all fella Marys {3} look see; bime bye, they like run away they think strong fella too much, no run away. Billy, strong fella too much ten fella three times."
The house-boy extended the whip to him, but Billy did not take it. Sheldon waited quietly. The eyes of all the cannibals were fixed61 upon him in doubt and fear and eagerness. It was the moment of test, whereby the lone62 white man was to live or be lost.
"Ten fella three times, Billy," Sheldon said encouragingly, though there was a certain metallic63 rasp in his voice.
Billy scowled64, looked up and looked down, but did not move.
"Billy!"
Sheldon's voice exploded like a pistol shot. The savage started physically65. Grins overspread the grotesque66 features of the audience, and there was a sound of tittering.
"S'pose you like too much lash60 that fella Arunga, you take him fella Tulagi," Billy said. "One fella government agent make plenty lash. That um fella law. Me savvee um fella law."
It was the law, and Sheldon knew it. But he wanted to live this day and the next day and not to die waiting for the law to operate the next week or the week after.
"Too much talk along you!" he cried angrily. "What name eh? What name?"
"Me savvee law," the savage repeated stubbornly.
"Astoa!"
Another man stepped forward in almost a sprightly67 way and glanced insolently68 up. Sheldon was selecting the worst characters for the lesson.
"You fella Astoa, you fella Narada, tie up that fella Billy alongside other fella same fella way."
"Strong fella tie," he cautioned them.
"You fella Astoa take that fella whip. Plenty strong big fella too much ten fella three times. Savvee!"
Sheldon picked up the rifle that had leaned against the rail, and cocked it.
"I know you, Astoa," he said calmly. "You work along Queensland six years."
"Me fella missionary70," the black interrupted with deliberate insolence.
"Queensland you stop jail one fella year. White fella master damn fool no hang you. You too much bad fella. Queensland you stop jail six months two fella time. Two fella time you steal. All right, you missionary. You savvee one fella prayer?"
"Yes, me savvee prayer," was the reply.
"All right, then you pray now, short time little bit. You say one fella prayer damn quick, then me kill you."
Sheldon held the rifle on him and waited. The black glanced around at his fellows, but none moved to aid him. They were intent upon the coming spectacle, staring fascinated at the white man with death in his hands who stood alone on the great veranda. Sheldon has won, and he knew it. Astoa changed his weight irresolutely71 from one foot to the other. He looked at the white man, and saw his eyes gleaming level along the sights.
"Astoa," Sheldon said, seizing the psychological moment, "I count three fella time. Then I shoot you fella dead, good-bye, all finish you."
And Sheldon knew that when he had counted three he would drop him in his tracks. The black knew it, too. That was why Sheldon did not have to do it, for when he had counted one, Astoa reached out his hand and took the whip. And right well Astoa laid on the whip, angered at his fellows for not supporting him and venting72 his anger with every stroke. From the veranda Sheldon egged him on to strike with strength, till the two triced savages screamed and howled while the blood oozed73 down their backs. The lesson was being well written in red.
When the last of the gang, including the two howling culprits, had passed out through the compound gate, Sheldon sank down halffainting on his couch.
"You're a sick man," he groaned74. "A sick man."
"But you can sleep at ease to-night," he added, half an hour later.
收听单词发音 |
1
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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appreciably
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| adv.相当大地 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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veranda
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| n.走廊；阳台 | |
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ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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con
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| n.反对的观点，反对者，反对票，肺病；vt.精读，学习，默记；adv.反对地，从反面；adj.欺诈的 | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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ornamenting
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| v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的现在分词 ) | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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craftiness
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| 狡猾，狡诈 | |
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impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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ornamental
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| adj.装饰的；作装饰用的；n.装饰品；观赏植物 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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grimaces
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| n.（表蔑视、厌恶等）面部扭曲，鬼脸( grimace的名词复数 )v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的第三人称单数 ) | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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subservient
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| adj.卑屈的，阿谀的 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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abominate
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| v.憎恨，厌恶 | |
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runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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runaways
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| （轻而易举的）胜利( runaway的名词复数 ) | |
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32
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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45
bead
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| n.念珠；(pl.)珠子项链；水珠 | |
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46
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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50
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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51
lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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52
overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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53
quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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54
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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55
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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56
scorch
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| v.烧焦，烤焦；高速疾驶；n.烧焦处，焦痕 | |
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57
singe
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| v.(轻微地)烧焦；烫焦；烤焦 | |
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58
unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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onlookers
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| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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63
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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64
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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physically
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| adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律 | |
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grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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insolently
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| adv.自豪地，自傲地 | |
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69
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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irresolutely
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| adv.优柔寡断地 | |
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72
venting
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| 消除； 泄去； 排去； 通风 | |
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oozed
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| v.（浓液等）慢慢地冒出，渗出( ooze的过去式和过去分词 )；使（液体）缓缓流出；（浓液）渗出，慢慢流出 | |
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74
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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